Clothing Review: Páramo Halcon Waistcoat

Editor’s Note: In recent travels I have been eyeing the labels on the clothing of my traveling companions. Páramo has caught my eye several times. Guest poster Barrie Cooper from the UK reviews the Páramo waistcoat, below.

by Barrie Cooper

I’m a keen birder, wildlife watcher and global traveller and having the right gear is important for me. In terms of clothing, I am a big fan of Páramo who seems to understand the importance of good design, material and.…pockets! This is the second of my reviews of Páramo clothing. One of the items of clothing that most birders, photographers and global travellers value is a jacket with several pockets to hold field guides, lenses, equipment, passport, phone, wallet and a plethora of other paraphernalia. I’m a global travelling birder and photographer and I like to have easy access to what I consider important. So a jacket with many pockets is a requirement for me and in warmer climates a sleeveless waistcoat/vest is an essential item of clothing.

I have a good range of Páramo clothing because this company understands the value of practical clothing for all climates and the importance of pockets. The Halcon Waistcoat is one of the most comfortable, practical and essential pieces of clothing I take on my trips. A grand total of twelve pockets are here and, unlike some waistcoats I have had in the past, these pockets are large and secure enough to be totally practical. The material is Páramo’s Nikwax Cotton + fabric which is a combination of cotton and synthetic fibers. This fabric is tough but light and remarkably windproof. It’s brilliant for wearing through airports because of the secure pockets and its sleeveless design means that overheating is avoided when rushing to departure gates. In the field, the spacious pockets comfortably hold the largest field guides, a waterproof jacket, bottles and a small kitchen sink (almost!). I also have the version with sleeves – the Halcon Traveller jacket for when I visit cooler climes and this has an identical range of pockets. Both jackets are available for men and women.

You can read more about the detailed benefits of these jackets here and here.

Corporate ethics:

Páramo is a company with strong ethics and environmental principles and supports nature conservation in Ecuador and elsewhere. Eighty percent of its annual production occurs at the Miquelina Foundation in Colombia. The Foundation provides employment and training for over 500 vulnerable women each year, who want to improve their lives. 130+ houses have been built, 200 children attend the kindergarten and 300 children eat daily in the canteen. Details of Páramo’s ethics can be found here.